Getting lost leads to Hopkinton

Friday

Apr 4, 2014 at 11:05 AM

By Bruce CoulterBcoulter@wickedlocal.com

Mark Goodwin was out for what he thought was a short 3-mile run in Newport, R.I. Some 8 miles later, he realized he was lost.It changed his workout regimen for good."I didn’t die after running eight miles, so I signed up for my first half-marathon," he said.That race, the Bay State Half Marathon in Lowell in 2008, has since led longer distances, like the New York City Marathon in 2011, which he finished in 5 hours and 21 minutes.Goodwin, a Wilmington resident, has been running for the past 20 years. Now, at 49, he’s looking forward to his first Boston Marathon in April.He’s been in training for some time, alternating distances each week, from 12 to 20 miles each time he hits the road. More recently, Goodwin has been training with the New England Aquarium’s team."We took the train together from Framingham and ran the last 20 miles of the marathon, including Heartbreak Hill," he said. "Next week, the team will run the first 20 miles starting in Hopkinton."On race day, Goodwin said the aquarium team will start together, but expects some runners will run their own pace."They will probably separate at some point and meet up at the finish line," he said.As the marathon draws closer, Goodwin said he plans to cut back on the distance, running 2-to-3 miles two or three times a week to "stay loose."Asked why he’d decided to take on the 26.2 miles that make up the Boston Marathon, Goodwin said it was something he been considering after running in New York.Goodwin was spending time with his family on Cape Cod when the bombing too place."I knew I had to run Boston then. It’s my chance to show solidarity with the people who suffered during the tragedy," he said. "I think a lot of runners feel the same way. If they’ve never run Boston before, they feel the need to show support this year."Charity teamAccording to Goodwin, his race times aren’t fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon."The only way I could run was to qualify with a charity team," he said.It was his youngest son, Zach, 11, who urged him to contact the New England Aquarium."He attended a weeklong summer camp a the aquarium called Crazy Crustaceans. He had such a great time, he wanted to do it again," said Goodwin. "When I looked at charities, he saw the aquarium was on the list and he insisted I run for the aquarium."It wasn’t just a matter of applying, he said. Applicants are required to write an essay explaining why they wanted to join their team – for which there are limited opportunities."There were more than 100 applicants for 25 slots," said Goodwin.In addition to explaining why an applicant is drawn to their charity, Goodwin, who works at Pioneer Investments in Boston, also had to list prior marathon experience and determine whether or not he could perform the fundraising they require.Goodwin easily outdistances his teammates – age wise. He said the average age of the aquarium team is 20-something."I felt like the coach of the team," he said.He pledged to raise $4,500. As of last week, Goodwin raised $5,250 and is "still lobbying people."Combined, the aquarium hopes to raise at least $100,000, said Goodwin.FamilyDuring training, Goodwin said he’s received plenty of support from his family."My youngest sons [Zach and Thomas, 12] would ride their bikes with me as I trained on longer runs, keeping me company," he said.Which means his wife, Ann Marie, had to deal with family routines on the weekends Goodwin trained, he said"Ann Marie knows it’s my addiction. She probably think it’s a way for me to escape family duties sometimes, but she’s supportive," he said with a laugh.Goodwin’s oldest daughter, Katy, 17, is also a runner. The two have turned running into a family affair last year when they ran the Run to Remember Half Marathon in Boston. The run honors police officers injured or killed in the line of duty."We ran together the whole 13 miles and we crossed the finish line holding hands," he said.The Goodwin family will make the marathon a family affair next month. Ann Marie, Katy, Dan, 16, Tom and Zack will be on the sidelines not only cheering on Mark, but also passing out Twizzlers and pretzels to runners."Runners are always asking for sugar or salt – it’s whatever your body craves after running so many miles," he said. "I carry peanut butter cups with me."In New York, Goodwin said, he brought five peanut butter cups with him and rationed them out – one for each of the last 5 miles.